HBC fest is to return to the bars pubs and cafes of Haebangchon in Seoul next week for a weekend of live music. The festival runs biannually in spring and autumn, bringing together solo acts and live bands in genres ranging from folk and funk to punk and pop.This year’s spring festival will be held across 12 venues in the area, with acts starting at 9 p.m. on May 25 at some of the venues before all venues open up from mid-afternoon until midnight on May 26. An acoustic night is planned for May 2

Expat Living May 17, 2018

Camarata Music Company will stage the musical version of “The Wizard of Oz” starting next week.Filled with famous songs, the story follows Dorothy as she tries to find her way home from a magical land with the help of a brainless scarecrow, a cowardly lion and a tin man in need of a heart.The shows are in English and run at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturdays and 4 p.m. on Sundays from May 26 to June 10, at Chungdam Hall in Gangnam-gu’s King Kong Building.Tickets are 25,000 won or 20,000 won for chil

Expat Living May 17, 2018

Seoul Global Center is running a demo day for new expat-run startups, as well as offering incubation offices to fledgling companies.A Big Think is a demo day for expats with tech-related business ideas who are in search of a startup visa. Would-be entrepreneurs are invited to submit their plans, with selected applicants going on to pitch their ideas at the event itself on June 29.The best pitch will win 1 million won ($950) and free office space for a year. The winner, along with second and thir

Expat Living May 17, 2018

The Camarata Music Company will be presenting its annual spring concert, featuring Faure’s masterpiece “Requiem,” and Ariel Ramirez’ Latin-American “Misa Criolla.” CMC is a nonprofit set up to provide opportunities for locals and expats in Korea to perform music.Conducted by CMC director Ryan Goessl, the concert features the Camarata Chorale and Camarata Chamber Orchestra, with soloists tenor Seung Wook Ryu, bass-baritone SungHoon Kim, bass-baritone Scott Stout and soprano Elaine Snider. Latin-A

Expat Living April 17, 2018

As a diplomatic turning point augurs in the wake of the PyeongChang Olympics, the Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch will host a talk on changes in South Korean diplomacy around the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul.Kathryn Weathersby, a visiting professor of history at Korea University, will talk about how the Seoul Olympics were South Korea’s international debut as a modern, prosperous country but also a turning point in foreign relations, including with Hungary and the Soviet Union. Weathersby will

Expat Living April 17, 2018

The Gwangju Performance Project is seeking scripts for a 10-minute play festival to celebrate seven years of activities in June. 　Playwrights from all over South Korea, of all nationalities, are encouraged to submit their work for the Pen in Ten fest, to be staged in Gwangju on the fourth weekend of June. 　Cash prizes will be awarded for best script, production and actor, as well as for the people’s choice. 　 Winners will be chosen by a panel of judges, except for the people’s choice award, whic

Expat Living March 22, 2018

Seoul Metropolitan Government is searching for promising foreign-run startups to move into its Global Startup Center in Yongsan. 　　Separate from Seoul Global Center, which runs a similar program, the center has been in operation since 2016 and has supported the establishment of 77 expat startups. 　The center is looking to recruit 20 new companies. Those chosen will be offered office space at the center for one year, which can be extended by three years dependent on annual review. 　Successful app

Expat Living March 22, 2018

Gwangju International Center is offering cultural tours for students this spring to help them get to know the city.The Gwangju International Students’ Family Invitation Program that starts on June 28 is a four-night tour for foreign students who may also bring along up to two family members. There are four days of activities, including an introduction to the May 18 pro-democracy uprisings that happened in Gwangju in 1980 and a visit to related sites on the second day, visits to Suncheon Nagan Fo

Expat Living March 22, 2018